Jasmine Ran Off 25kg! Here’s How She Did It
Jasmine Arnold refused to let a limited budget stop her from running it off – and it was worth the weight.
Age: 47
Home Town: Salt River, Cape Town
Height: 1.6m
Occupation: PA to the Ops Manager on a ship, and face painter
Time Required: 2 years
Then: 122kg
Now: 97kg
THE WAKE-UP
My story began almost 29 years ago. I was the fat girl at high school who wore a size 40 to the matric ball, and I carried my extra weight into adulthood. No one would tell me the truth about how huge I was becoming; instead, they sugar-coated it with compliments – looking back, did I really need any more sugar? My struggles unacknowledged, I turned to emotional eating to numb my pain.
Eventually, I grew tired of feeling uncomfortable and ugly. I remember feeling inspired by one woman’s weight-loss journey, which I followed on Facebook in 2016. After seeing one particular photo she had posted, I contacted her to ask her how she’d done it.
RELATED: How To Get Started If You’ve Got More Than 25kg To Lose
THE SHAKE-UP
Being a single mom with two jobs presents me with two weight-loss challenges: finding the time to fit in exercise around a busy schedule, and finding the money for a gym membership and fancy diet food.
Believe you me, I’d love to strengthen my upper body at the gym and banish my bingo wings! But I’ve found running holds me accountable, and it has made me powerful in other ways. I started running three times a week: twice with the Brimstone Itheko Running Club, and once on my own. I also managed to fit in races at the weekend, if my work schedule allowed.
I called myself ‘Budget Bokkie’ on social media because I wanted to prove – to myself and to others – that you don’t have to break the bank to swop cakes, pastries and scones for sugar-free options.
RELATED: 8 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight!
THE REWARD
When I transitioned from walking to running, I set myself the modest goal of running 5km without stopping. Now I’m working on running 10km a little more comfortably, and I’m training for my first half marathon.
Getting fat happens gradually; losing weight is an even slower process. But the rewards are worth the effort. I’ve made friends I wouldn’t have met otherwise. And knowing that my son, who is my biggest supporter, is watching me makes me want to inspire him to lead a healthy lifestyle, too.
Do I feel better about myself? Hell, yes!
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